It's one thing to admire motorcycles but, if you want to be a biker, it's essential to know where to go to get the machine that fits your needs, style and budget.
Stuck in a traffic jam ,have you ever seen a biker deftly maneuvering among the cars and quickly dissappearing over the horizon? Did you envy his speed and freedom? Thought of buying a motorcycle yourself?
“Riding a motorcycle allows you to move faster around the city due to its higher mobility,” said Mikhail “Michel” Mezhenov, a long-time Kyiv biker. “According to a research done in Moscow – more than twice as fast a car.”
Then there’s the image, the lifestyle and the philosophy.
“It’s a completely different feeling,” Michel continued. “In a car, you are as a fish driving around in its own aquarium; on a motorcycle you are completely in the open.”
Of course, such openness can make a motorcycle a much more dangerous form of transportation, especially in Ukraine, infamous for its pot-holed roads and take-no-prisoners approach to driving.
“On a motorcycle, even minor accident can be really serious,” Michel said. “And obeying the laws does not necessarily ensure you’ll avoid accidents.”
Another factor that makes a biker’s life difficult in Ukraine is the limited supply of motorcycles and parts and the lack of qualified repair service.
Still, undaunted? Then, by following a few simple steps, you, too, can become a biker.
But first that means dropping the word “biker” altogether – at least in conversation with other motorcyclists. It’s just not popular anymore.
“The stereotype of a biker is of a long-haired, long-bearded, leather-clad thug with a beer belly riding a chopper,” explained Petro “Piter” Voronchuk, another veteran motorcyclist. “Motor-rider is a much more appropriate term, and we are promoting it.”
That “we” are the most active members of Ukraine’s motorcycle community. They maintain the Web site www.moto.kiev.ua which, within the past year, has become the country’s most popular motorcycle resource.
Want to find out more about the Ukrainian motorcycle crowd, visiting the site is a good place to start. Among its features are for-sale announcements, travel stories and the news of upcoming biker rallies and parties. Some articles on the Russian-language site, including some on such serious subjects as European Union transportation policy, are translated into English – and the “Moto-Girlz” pin-up photo gallery is pretty much self-explanatory. The readers forum section also allows visitors to follow discussions on motorcycle-related topics, to ask about repairs or other specific questions.
An immediate question raised by many would-be motor-riders is which model to buy. An immediate answer is it depends on what you want to do with it. There are dozens of motorcycle makes from which to choose, varying in capacity, design and look. The motorcycle family ranges from scooters – nicknamed “stools”, which don’t require a license and have just a 50CC engine – to stylish choppers on which to lounge back and look cool. There are light, speedy racing bikes; off-road “enduro” bikes for longer rallies and touring bikes for road trips. “Trial” bikes allow you to jump on rocks and do stunts. Shorter, maneuverable street fighters with high capacity engines are designed for aggressive riding in the city.
But another good answer to which kind of bike to buy is that it depends on what you want to spend. Enduro-class motorcycles are the best-suited for Ukrainian roads. Tall riders might consider large enduros such as a Honda Varadero or Honda Africa Twin. A new bike costs around $15,000 and $11,000, respectively, while a used Africa Twin can be found for about $3,500. The lighter Yamaha Tenere or Super Tenere costs approximately $8,000 and is suitable for smaller riders. If your not looking for high capacity, consider the BMW F650 for around $8,500.
Too imported and too expensive for your taste? Then there’s always the locally manufactured Dnepr, starting at as little as Hr 5,500. Besides the price, it holds another advantage.
“One good thing about a Dnepr is that wherever it breaks, you can always find the part you need,” said mechanic Vitaly Kofanov. “The countryside is flooded with this particular make, and you can often make a deal for as little as a bottle of vodka.”
The only problem is that the Dnepr does indeed have a reputation for break-downs, sometimes on the way home from the showroom. And for that reason, some owners choose to rebuild and upgrade their Dneprs from the get go – before they encounter serious problems.
“The product of the Kyiv Motorcycle Plant is a raw material,” Michel said. “You need to work on it to make it fit for riding.”
The low purchase price for a Dnepr makes such experimentation feasible – as well as customizing. Many Dnepr owners choose to turn their bikes into choppers – by re-welding the chassis, changing the wheels and adding “ape-hanger” handlebars, a teardrop gas tank and chrome plating. And if you are not exactly a do-it-yourselfer when it comes to chopper conversions, you can buy a completely retuned and restyled Dnepr for around $1,500.
Now, all that leaves is where to ride and with whom to ride. You can kill two birds with one stone by either checking out the moto.kiev Web site or heading down to a tavern popularly known as “The Biker Bar” in southwest Kyiv just at the turnoff to the Pyrohovo open-air museum. Motor-riders meet there Thursday nights to renew acquaintances, exchange news and plan rides. And if you’re fan of things spontaneous, you may be in a position to accept an invitation to cruise on down to Odessa – right then and right there.
Box
HITTING THE ROAD
Motorcycle driving courses. 16 Yakira, 2nd entrance, in the basement. No telephone. Open Mon., Wed., Fri., 5 p.m.-7 p.m.
Dnepr Salon. 8 Sim’yi Khokhlovykh. Tel. 490-9602.
Honda Salon. 8 Moskovska. Tel. 461-9916.
Speed World. 14 Bobrova, Dnipropetrovsk. Tel.(056) 778-0056.
For custom-built Dneprs, contact Vitaly Kofanov at 296-5790 or 265-6193.
For motorcycle parts and accessories, contact Petro Voronchuk at 8 (067) 777 7392.
Bar on Zabolotnoho. 156 Zabolotnoho. Tel. 266-0229.
